Poetry
by Team Hellfire
Summary: [50's AU] Raven was unlike anyone he had ever met before. She was smart, sharp-witted, beautiful, and everything he could have ever dreamt of - a vice he was happy to be addicted to. But who was he to touch her? After all, Jason was just a bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks.
1. She Walks in Beauty Like the Night

**Poetry  
** Chapter One: She Walks in Beauty Like the Night

 _August 2, 1956_

Jason sighed as he wiped his face with the back of his hand, smudging a bit of black oil grease on his cheek as he worked over the engine of the car. The hot sun tanned his sweat sodden skin, it's ever reaching rays beating down on him relentlessly. He huffed.

 _Should've worn the white fitted shirt instead of the black._

Tightening the bolt with the wrench in his hand with one final turn, he sighed before walking around to the drivers seat. He reached inside and fingered the car keys and turned them. It made a brief rumble of noise before it cut off again. He gritted his teeth and tried again.

No change.

He hissed and cursed in Italian under his breath before walking back over to the hood in huff, staring hard at the engine as if the answer would appear to him. He had been working on this car for hours and he still couldn't figure out exactly what was wrong.

"It's the carburetor," he heard a feminine yet low and gravelly voice say from behind him.

He blinked as he turned his head to see a young woman in a white turtleneck, black cigarette pants with a matching beret standing behind him with books in her hands.

She was short thing, much like her dark, almost black hair that was cut into a straight bob with thick bangs covering her forehead. And she was pale, so pale he was certain she was going to get sunburn underneath the bright sun. But it was her _eyes_ … Those wide electric blue eyes that intrigued him and drew him in.

A sly grin slid over his face as he turned around to face her fully, crossing his muscular arms over his chest. "Yeah? What do you know about cars?"

She arched her brow at him challengingly before she looked over at the car. He watched her with fascination as she took a few steps to stand beside him, her tongue rolling against the inside of her teeth in thought.

"I know this is a '52 Pontiac Chieftain sedan four-door hardtop," she started, squaring her shoulders and standing at her full height. "I know that it has eight-cylinders with 103 horsepower at 3800 rpm and I know that it's having a hard cold starting problems with the carburetor. And it sounds like the bi-metal choke spring is broken because the engine is stalling and based off of the little bit I saw you doing earlier, I would say you already did a full work up on that. So it would have to be the carburetor."

A small hint of a smile danced in triumph at the corners of her pouty lips before she turned her head to look at him over her shoulder.

His mouth fell open slightly as he stared at her, dumbfounded and wildly impressed at her knowledge of cars. A subject near and dear to his heart but he found that it was a subject not a lot of girls knew about, much less, being truly interested in. And even more so girls who looked like her.

"Impressed?"

"Very," he nodded, slowly, his eyes still looking at her with such wonder. "How do you know so much about cars?"

She shrugged with a dead panned expression. "I like cars."

Another slow smile pulled across his face, feeling something stir inside him as he shifted his weight to face her. He licked his lips and opened his mouth.

"Miss?" Another voice called out, cutting him off. They both turned their heads to see a young but large black man walking towards them with a book in his hands. "I have that journal you wanted."

She nodded at the man, turning away from Jason. He couldn't help but to steal a glance, his eyes drifting down her soft curvaceous body, lingering on her round swell of her backside.

 _Damn…_

"Thank you, Vic," she said, exchanging one of her books for the journal magazine with picture of a car plastered on it, further piquing Jason's interest. "And how many times do I have to tell you to call me by my first name?"

He chuckled at her. "About once more, Miss."

"You've been saying that to me since we were children, but fine," She rolled her eyes at him, playfully before walking away from the two of them to the blue bike propped against the chain linked fence. Putting her things in the small basket that was attached to the handlebars. "Anyway, thanks for the journal. See you around?"

"Yes ma'am," Vic nodded.

Looking over her shoulder, she locked eyes with Jason, flashing him a small coy smile that made his heart tug as she mounted her bike. "Good luck fixing that carburetor."

"Thanks," he smiled, the grease on his cheek shining in the sunlight.

She nodded at him before she pushed off and bikes away from them around the corner and out of sight.

His tongue rolled in his mouth as the wheels of determination began to turn in his head. "Huh."

"Don't even think about, Jason," he heard Vic warn him as he walked away from towards the garage.

"What?" Jason mocked innocence with a shrug of his shoulders.

"I saw you looking at her. I know what you look you get when you're interested in a girl. And you're interested. So I'm warning you: don't think about it," The dark skin man replied with a smile. "She'll eat you alive."

"One could only hope," he murmured under his breath, only to have a towel thrown at him.

"Come on, man!"

Jason just laughed before turning back around to his work, thinking about her words of advice and those gorgeous blue eyes.

* * *

 _This is another AU that BleedingWriter and I (Xaphrin) are working on slowly. I thought I might post it here as well so it's easy to read. Please leave reviews or comments! We're happy to see them!_


	2. Sharing Eve's Apple

**Poetry  
** Chapter Two: Sharing Eve's Apple

-o-

Jason leaned against the hood of his car and fingered his beaten pack of Lucky Strikes, silently debating on whether or not to light one up. Really, he'd been meaning to quit for a few years now, it was a bad habit and he knew it, but that bitter taste took the edge off just a little bit each time. Licking his lips, he flicked his eyes up to the clocktower and sighed, kicking the toe of his shoe on the curb in annoyance. _Gesù Cristo_ , that kid couldn't ever be on time. Jason had to get him to his job, and he had a match tonight, and neither of them could afford to be late.

Shaking his head, he pulled out a cigarette and popped it into his mouth, hunting through his pockets for a lighter. Out of the corner of his eye, Jason saw a flash of black moving across the campus lawn. Thinking it was Tim, he pulled the cigarette out of his lips and raised his head. He started to call out, but snapped his mouth shut as he saw the pleasant sway to those round hips. That _certainly_ wasn't Tim.

Jason rolled his tongue in his mouth and shamelessly watched the sway to her full hips, returning the cigarette to the pack. He tapped it against his thigh and smirked, his eyes sliding from her hips to her ankles and back again. Pushing himself into a standing position, he raised his hand and called out for her.

"Ma'am?"

She lifted her eyes from a slim book in her hand and looked into his face. Her eyes flicked down his body and those pale cheeks flushed bright red, which made Jason wonder if she liked what she saw. Licking his lips, he stepped forward and began to approach her, tucking the pack of cigarettes into his back pocket. "Thanks for the advice the other day. That's exactly what happened, and she runs better now."

She blinked and cocked her eyes to the side, watching him. "Oh! With the car?" She snapped the book closed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Glad I could help."

Jason stopped in front of her and smiled, looking into deep blue eyes flecked with little sparks of violet. He licked his lips and gave a short nod. "I don't suppose there's a handle that goes with that pretty brain? You know, in case I need to call for any more help."

She fingered the edges of her book. He watched as she regarded him carefully before nodding, dropping her arms to her sides. "Raven."

His eyebrows shot up. "Like the bird?"

Raven fidgeted on her feet and looked over his shoulder. "Like the bird, yes." Her eyes flicked back to his own and her eyes narrowed for a moment. "Is there anything else I can do for you…?"

"Jason," he supplied, leaning back on his heels.

"Jason." Her eyes shot down the length of him again, lips twitching as she stared at him. "You don't look like a Jason."

"Oh?" He laughed and pushed at his hair. "Then what _do_ I look like, Miss Raven?"

"A Frankie. A Donnie. A-" She cut herself off suddenly and she looked away, her cheeks darkening in another blush.

His eyebrow shot up again. "Oh? You mean, like an _Italian_?"

Raven's fingers tightened on her book, and she shifted again. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to insult."

He gave a one shouldered shrug, brushing off her faux pas. "It's not an insult. Just part of the rep I guess. I can't deny the heritage, and I'm sure others can't either."

Raven's expression softened, but she said nothing else to him. A layer of silence fell over them and there was something about it that seemed to push them farther apart. Well, Jason certainly wouldn't let _that_ happen. He looked down at the book in her hand and smiled, his eyes moving back toward her face. "Keats?"

She picked up the book and examined the cover. "He's a-"

" _There's a blush for won't, and a blush for shan't,_ " he cut her off. " _And a blush for having done it: There's a blush for thought and a blush for naught, and a blush for just begun it._ "

Raven's eyes widened and she licked her lips, as she simply stood there and stared shamelessly at him. Jason found himself completely fascinated with the sight of that little pink tongue sliding over her full, lower lip, and something stirred in the pit of his stomach as he watched her mouth with rapt attention. That little, sinful tongue was sure to be the center of thought for more than a few sleepless nights.

"You…" Raven trailed off, not sure what to say. A second ticked by between them before she managed to find her voice again. "You quoted Keats."

He shrugged and laughed. "I like poetry."

Raven continued to stare, her little white teeth reaching out and capturing her lower lip as she continued to stare at him. She looked positively shocked, and there was something satisfying about that, as if he managed to treat the little bird to a new lesson. Jason gave another shrug and rolled his shoulder.

"Keats isn't one of my favorite poets, but I can appreciate him."

"I'm sorry… but you don't look like the kind of person who reads poetry."

He laughed and crossed his arms over his chest. "Well, you don't look like the kind of girl who can get into an engine and fix a carburetor."

She tapped the book on her thigh as the corners of her lips turned up into a thin, almost teasing smile. "Well, I suppose appearances can be deceiving." Pause. "You are certainly proving that."

He laughed. "You too."

"Jason! Sorry I'm late, I had to discuss something with the professor… oh, Raven. Hi!"

Jason looked over to see his little brother racing up to them, adjusting his school bag on his shoulder. Tim stopped in front of them, eyes darting between them as he desperately tried to process what was happening between his brother and his classmate. The realization suddenly seemed to hit him with a grin and Jason raised an eyebrow and shook his head, as if warning him _not_ to stick his nose into this business. Tim could be such a hassle sometimes, and if he started playing with other people's lives, it could be ten times worse.

"Are you ready to go, Kid? We're gonna be late if you keep holding me up."

"Um…"

Jason raised an eyebrow jerked his thumb at his car. "Let's go. We've got jobs tonight, right?"

"Y-yeah…" Tim smiled at Raven, his eyes brightening a bit, as if a light bulb had gone off in his head. There was a flash of mischievousness hiding in his blue stare, and Jason knew that meant something _bad_. Tim's smile widened. "Thanks for the help with the homework last week, Raven. I did way better on that paper than I thought I would. I was expecting to fail, but you saved me."

"I'm glad I could help."

"Anyway, I was wondering if maybe we can get together and do it again? The studying? It was such a big help."

She blinked and tapped her fingers on the book again. "Of course. When were you thinking, Tim?"

He pretended to think about it for a minute, his eyes practically _sparkling_ with some kind of secret. That could _not_ be good. "I was thinking, maybe the same time, same place?"

Raven nodded in agreement. "Absolutely. I'll see you there." She looked up at Jason and offered another thin smile. "It was nice meeting you, Jason."

"Same, Miss Raven." He offered her a casual wave before wrapping his arm around his brother's bicep and pulling him away toward the car. Jason set his lips in a thin, tight line as he shoved his brother in the Chieftain and got in on the driver's side.

Tim opened his mouth, but Jason cut him off with a glare.

"Don't even _think_ about it, Tim."

Tim just leaned back into the seat and smile, the plan slowly coming together.

* * *

 _Thanks again for reading! Please leave a message if you're so inclined._


	3. And Yet the Books

**Poetry  
** Chapter Three: And Yet the Books

-o-

Jason licked his teeth as he looked around the library for Tim. He huffed as he looked at his watch. He was supposed to be here at two and it was almost twenty minutes past. _Dio maledetto,_ why couldn't this kid _ever_ be on time?

He shook his head and rubbed his reddened knuckles absently, sighing as he flicked his eyes around the room again for a familiar face. But his eyes caught sight of another familiar face that made him smirk.

At a table across the room, she sat, hunched over a book with a red pen wedged between her peach painted lips, nibbling on it. He watched as she pulled the pen away from her mouth, standing up and walking towards one of the books shelves, his eyes lingering on her hips.

Licking his lips, he stood up from his table and made his way over to where she stood. Leaning against the shelf, he quietly observed her as she stood on her toes and reached for a book on the top shelf. He stifled a laugh, watching her jump up and struggle for the item.

" _Piccola cosa breve_ …" He whispered to himself, pushing off of the shelf and walking over and getting the book down for her.

For the briefest of moments, their hands touched and a surge electricity raced through his body at blinding speeds that made his head spin. His eyes locked with her deep blue one and he noticed the color of her cheeks turn bright red. He grinned, wondering if she had felt the spark too and handing her the book.

"I could've gotten it down myself, you know," she grumbled at him, taking the book in her hands and turning away from him.

He chuckled, following behind her and digging his hands in his pockets. "You're welcome."

She huffed, shaking her head and picking up another book from the shelf. "I didn't say 'thank you'."

Oh, sassy… He liked sassy.

"You didn't have to," he gave a one shoulder shrug, watching her pouted face with absolute fascination. He bit back another laugh.

Despite all of the black she was wearing and her sort of distant nature, she was actually… _cute_ when she was flustered.

"Call it payment for the advice on the car."

She let out a small grunt as she looked for another book, looking at him from the side of her eye. "Have you seen Tim? He was supposed to meet me here about twenty minutes ago."

His eyebrows crinkled and his head tilted slightly to the side in question. "You guys were supposed to meet twenty minutes ago?"

"Yes," she answered, picking up another book and adding it to the stack in her hands. "We had a studying session today. Same time, same place as the last time. That was about twenty minutes ago."

Jason rolled his tongue as he tried to process the information, the gearing spinning and clicking around in his head. If Tim had a studying session with her at the library at two, why would he…?

 _Che intrighi figlio di una cagna!_ Next time he saw that little twerp he was going to pummel him. Always sticking his nose in business that didn't concern him…

Jason rolled his eyes and growled, crossing his arms over his chest. "Well, dolly, it looks like he stood us up."

She turned around to face him with an eyebrow cocked. "First of all, I'm not your 'dolly.' My name is Raven. Use it. Second off, what do you mean by 'us'?"

"Well, _Raven_ ," he dragged out in a tease as he leaned against the bookshelf again. "I mean, I was supposed to meet him here at two as well."

"That could be a coincidence," she offered.

He shocked his head, scratching lazily at the light scruff under his jaw. "Trust me, it's not."

"Huh," she trailed, a curious but pensive expression etching on her features as she looked at him.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, wondering what she could possibly be looking at. Following her line of vision, he noticed she was staring at his knuckles and he felt a quick flush of embarrassment, putting his hand back down and away from her sight. She didn't need a full out picture about the sort of life he lived.

"Yeah," he coughed, trying to distract her mind from the condition of his hand. "Kid has a bad habit of meddling in things that don't concern him."

She tapped her fingers against the hard linen of the books in her hand, looking as if she was debating to ask the question that he knew was on the tip of her tongue. But instead, she shook her head and sighed in resignation.

"You, er…" She started, her fingers coming up to brush at her bangs. "You seem to know a lot about Tim."

He laughed, lightly. "That's because I do. He's my little brother, after all."

She blinked in surprise. "He is?"

"Yeah, sort of," he shrugged, looking at the various book titles on the shelves. "It's a long and complicated story."

"I'd like to hear it some time," she said, boldly before her eyes widened at the implication of her sentence. A furious blush covered her face in a matter of seconds, and it took all of Jason's willpower not to laugh at how cute she was.

Smart, sassy, cute _and_ curvy… All of Jason's favorite things all rolled up into one tiny woman.

This… Little Bird…

"If-if that's alright with you…" She finished with an awkward shrug.

He leaned against the shelving structure besides them and grinned widely, taking a few steps towards her. "I would love to tell you the tale one day."

A small moment of silence drifted between them, the air closing in around them and growing thick with nervous yet electrifying tension. His chest swelled with excitement and something that he could not name as he gazed down at her. His fingers twitched in his pocket, suddenly feeling the need to reach out and touch her skin to feel that shockwave run through his body again, making his hair stand on end.

He watched her pearly white teeth slide out to nibble her lip as her arms tightened around her books, growing shy under his gaze. He licked his lips as he absently thought about one day biting that lip.

"So," she coughed, her brows knitting together in question. "If your brother wanted me to meet him here to study and he wanted you to meet him here as well, only to stand us up… Then, what did he ask us here for?"

Jason paused for a moment before he let out a soft and airy chuckle at her. Wasn't the answer obvious? "He's trying to fix us up."

She gasped, surprised by, not only the answer, but the sheer bluntness that accompanied it. Averting her eyes, her blush brightened all the way down her neck and chest before disappearing underneath the hemline of her sweater.

"Oh…" She breathed, her eyes blinking wildly as she tried to process the information inside her head.

Feeling a bit of the awkward tension, he shifted his weight from foot to foot as he tried to gage her reaction to all of this. "I didn't put him up to this, if that's what you're wondering. He just meddles on his own accord."

"No, no…" She answered, distantly, drifting off into some place in her mind that was unknown to him. He stood and watched with fascination her lips twitch and her eyes squint as if she was trying to read an invisible sentence that floated between them. After a few seconds, she blinked, pulling out of her head with a blush still coating her cheeks. She looked up at him and forced a small and awkward smile. "I should really check these books out."

Moving past him, she walked hurriedly back to her table and gathered her things, leaving him to behind to stand amongst the books to wonder what exactly had gone through her head.

A few moments went by and he found himself standing outside the library with a lit cigarette wedged between his lips, waiting for her. He knew he seemed a little weird, possibly stalkerish but there was something about her that pulled him to her. And it wasn't like he didn't try to leave. He did. Thinking about the prospect of clocking in early at the garage and getting a few extra bucks. But his mind kept jumping back to their time with the books, and he couldn't stop wondering if she felt all of the things that he felt, even if it was just a semblance of it.

So there he was… waiting. _Come un idiota._

Blowing out a puff of smoke with a sigh, he looked to the door to the library to see her short form walking out with the ever familiar sweet sway of her hips. He grinned, flicking his cigarette away to some forgotten place and followed after her with hurried steps.

"So," he fell into step with her. "Raven."

She jumped a little, lifting her head from the book she was reading but continued on her steady pace. "Oh Jason, you're still here?"

"In the flesh," he answered, his eyes flicking to the one book in her hands and noting the neat handwriting inside. "Off to another class?"

She shook her head. "Er, no… I'm off to work. My bike's down this way."

He nodded, his hands dipping into the pockets of his jeans. "So is my car. Do you mind if I walk with you?"

She shrugged, slightly. "Not at all."

"Good," he smiled as they strolled through the campus together.

It was a sun shiny day in Jump City. The sun yellow and bright and the sweet yet salty air was fairly warm with a delicious breeze floating by. Loose green summer leaves from the trees spiraled and swirled in the air around them until the fluttered their way to the ground around their feet with a low hiss against the cement.

It was one of those sweet and perfect days that lied somewhere between seasons.

"What's that you're reading?" He asked, abruptly, eyeing what appeared to be a journal.

She shook her head, stashing the book away in her messenger bag and pressing her lips in a straight line as if she was trying to hide something behind her stoicism. "Nothing. Just a silly little book."

"For a woman who reads Keats and wears mostly black, I wouldn't imagine you reading something silly."

"Well, didn't we learn the last time we spoke to not to judge a book by it's cover?" she fired at him, reaching the rack that her bike was attached to.

His lips curled slowly into another grin as he stared on at her, watching her bangs cover her face as she took of the lock and chain around it. "Yes, yes we did."

He didn't believe her answer for one second, that it was just some silly book. But she didn't want to talk about it and he was going to respect her wishes… For now.

Just like Tim had a bad habit of meddling, he had a bad habit of giving into his curiosity.

Shaking his head of the thoughts, he coughed. "So I have a question."

"Well, I might have an answer for you," she replied smartly, putting her chain away in the wicker basket on the back of her bike.

"When I told you that Tim was fixing us up, you said 'Oh,'" he started, nerves prickling at him in his chest. "Was that a good 'Oh' or a bad 'Oh?'"

She paused again, her index finger tapping lightly against the handlebars and her tongue rolling in her mouth as she mulled the question over. Jason stood nervously, his eyes quickly scanning her features for an answer. Surely she felt the same static that he did. That electrical spark that ran down his arm and made his hand twitch in the most pleasurable way. Surely she felt her blood rush and her gut twist and her heart pound too?

Pulling her bike free from the rack, she backed away as a slight smile danced around the corners of her peach lips. "It was a… Good to know sort of 'Oh.'"

Good to know? That was good, right? His smile grew as he nodded his head. "Good to know."

Her smile widened, mounting her bike. " _Pour un gars comme vous, vous êtes réellement vraiment mignon._ "

He blinked, unsure of what she just said. It sounded like… French. But only girls from the right side of the tracks spoke French…

He shifted awkwardly and rubbed a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I uh, I don't speak French."

"That was why I said it in French," she smiled, readying herself on her bike. "See you around?"

Generations of voices from the past called out to him in protest but he promptly ignored them as the corner of his lips turned up and his head nod. "Yeah…"

Her smile widened before she turned her head and sped off on her bike down the road, leaving him to yet again to stand in her dust and feeling wonderfully out of place.

" _Uccellino…_ "

* * *

 _Thank you again!_


	4. I Have Found What You Are Like

Chapter Four: I have Found What You are Like

-o-

 _September 25th 1956_

Jason walked through the campus park slowly, looking up at the trees as they rustled and moved above him, rattling around a bit like pennies in a silk bag. There was the faintest scent of autumn in the air, not entirely pungent, but certainly enough to remind him that the end of summer was coming quickly, and soon the nights would be filled with with the chill of winter.

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, his eyes closing as he let a moment of peace wash over him. It was nice to not feel the press of a million different things to do all at once, and to actually have a day off. At least for a little bit anyway, he did have a match later tonight, but he would worry about that later. Right now, he was just going to enjoy the sun and the last dregs of summer warming his face.

"He's not here."

Jason jerked and opened his eyes, craning his neck around a tree to see a pair of bare feet digging into the grass. Taking a few steps closer, he followed those feet up a pair of strong legs before ending in a set of hips that practically made him drool. He smiled and dug his hands into his pockets. A body that gorgeous could only belong to one person.

 _Raven_.

"Tim. He's not here," she repeated, looking over her shoulder at him.

She was sprawled out on her stomach underneath a tree, a red blanket protecting her from the dirt and grass, as several books laying around her, open and marked with little bits of paper. She looked completely at ease with herself, and not at all concerned with who might be watching her. It was kind of endearing, and Jason felt his lips tug up into a smile as he watched her kick her feet into the ground again and turn back to her book.

"I suspect that you're here for him anyway. He was supposed to meet me here too."

"Yeah, I'm here for him." Jason leaned against the tree next to her and smirked, watching the way her body moved as she continued to kick her feet. It was positively _intoxicating_. "I don't think it's very nice of him to keep ditching us like this. I hear gas might go up to 23 cents a gallon, if that happens he's gonna have to start paying me like a chauffeur."

Raven looked over her shoulder at him again, this time with a smirk playing on her lips. "And that's not what you're doing already? Being a chauffeur?"

He pursed his lips and glared down at her, his eyes still a little playful. "Hey now, I am _so_ much more than a chauffeur."

Her eyes shot down him in a movement almost too quick to recognize, but there was a flash of heated emotion in her eyes - the kind of emotion that sunk deep into his bones and threatened to set him on fire. "Yes, I _know_."

Her lips twitched and she turned back to one of the books in her hand, leaving him standing there, feeling a bit like Wile E. Coyote as he was left to hang off a cliff. But, he found he kind of liked the weightlessness, and there was something very interesting about knowing that she was looking at him in the same way he looked at her - with that spark of electricity that lit up both of them and made them forget their own names.

Jason licked his lips and continued to look down at her, his eyes still fixated on the roundness of her hips and behind. She was perfect and curvy and _plump_ in all the places a woman ought to be. Vaguely, he wondered what it would be like to grab a handful of her soft flesh and pull her against him, hearing that low raspy voice call out his name as he set his lips right on-

"…are you even listening to me?"

Jason coughed and pulled himself from his thoughts as he raised his eyes back to her face, forcing a small smile when she glared at him. " _Scusa me, Uccellino. Stavo pensando a te baciare._ " He sat back on his heels and continued to watch the confusion on her face, a small bubble of satisfaction sitting in his chest at the fact that he could keep some secrets from her.

"I don't speak Italian." She turned back to her book, her lips pursing as she turned a page. "And I think it's kind of rude when you do that."

He raised his eyebrow. "No more rude than when you speak French to me?"

She stiffened and set her book down, obviously realizing that she had pulled the same stunt on him just last week. Tucking a lock of stray hair behind her ear. "Maybe you have a point."

"Ah, you're conceding then? That I might actually be right?" He chuckled and sat down on the edge of her picnic blanket, reaching for one of her books. Browning. A good poet, not really his favorite, but good just the same.

"I _don't_ concede."

Raven popped up from her stomach to rest on her knees, her cheeks red and her lips pursed, looking very much like a tiny little wren pretending to be a big, scary hawk. Jason had to press his lips together to keep from laughing. Her cheeks were red and her eyes were narrow, and she looked just a little bit fearsome, but not quite fearsome enough to stop him from from continuing to tease her. Seeing her snap a little made his heart skip a few beats, and he wondered what _else_ he could do to rile her up.

"Sorry, I suggested it. I'll know better for next time." He smirked at her, watching as she sat back down slowly, obviously trying to reel her temper in. Cute. At least she was trying.

"So… Browning today?" Continuing to smile, he paged through the poetry book in his hands, before setting it back down and picking up another book by her side. He looked down into the neat, even handwriting and realized that _this_ book was not meant for his eyes… but that didn't stop him from looking anyway.

" _Mio dio, Uccellino_ … what an interesting train of thought you have."

Raven's eyes widened as she realized what book he had, and all her bright red color left her face. She pitched forward and scrambled to try and snap the book out of his hands, but she was too late. He had already seen too much. Blushing brightly, she managed to pull the book from his grasp and held it tightly against her chest, eyes wide and lips trembling as she waited for some kind of teasing or censure from him. It looked almost as if she were afraid, as if this scene had played out before and she knew exactly how it would end.

Jason pursed his lips as he watched her carefully. _That_ look of fear was so unbecoming on her, and he couldn't help but feel his heart soften just a little. There were a lot of things he could tease her about, but this was not one of them. He gave her a reassuring smile and leaned back against the tree, watching her. "It's good… I wouldn't have made some of those word choices, but… then again, it's not mine, now is it?"

Raven lifted her eyes to meet his own. "And what would _you_ know about poetry?"

"I'm surprisingly well read." He picked at a piece of grass next to him and smiled. "Keats and everything."

She blushed and held her book tighter against her chest. "Right… you actually read poetry."

"You always seemed so surprised by this?" Jason smiled and leaned forward, inching just a little closer to her. He could smell something sweet from her, like vanilla and cherries, and it made his mouth water. Taking another deep breath, as if to satiate his hunger, he leaned back against the tree again. "I like to read, and I don't really see why you want to keep believing that I'm just some uneducated greaser from the wrong side of the tracks."

Raven blushed and she looked genuinely remorseful, setting the book down on her lap. "I… didn't mean it like that."

He shrugged and looked away a bit. "I get it a lot, _Uccellino._ I'm used to it by now."

She pitched forward a bit, moving closer to him. There was curiosity in her eyes, and she stared at him as if he were practically _fascinating_. Jason had never been looked at that way in his entire life, but seeing that spark of interest in her eyes made something in him light up like a bomb going off. He could feel his heart sort of jump into his throat and sit there, wriggling around as she continued to watch him, her fa

" _Oo… Uccel…_ " She stumbled over the word slowly, as if it tasted foreign and strange in her mouth.

" _Uccellino_ ," he finished for her, chuckling.

"Yes, that word. You keep calling me that… what does it mean?"

Jason's lips quirked to the side and he smiled teasingly. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

She lifted an eyebrow. "That's why I asked."

"Raven?"

Jason and Raven both picked up their heads and turned to see someone walking up to them. A few seconds ticked by as all the pieces seemed to fall into place. That just _slightly_ crooked nose from a childhood injury, those electric blue eyes, that dark hair… _Gesu Cristo_ , Raven had made friends with _him_. Of all the people that she could have been friends with, it had to be Dick Grayson.

Those steel blue eyes narrowed in on him, sharp and relentless. "Jason Todd?"

There was a sort of strange, vitriolic poison that dripped from his name, and if Jason had been any less steadfast in his personality or character, he might have shrunk away. But he just stood up and dusted off his pants with a smile. "Ah, didn't mean to intrude on your study session… I guess I'll be leaving now." He gave her a polite nod and a smile. "If you happen to see Tim, let him know I'm going to take it out on his hide when he gets home."

Raven nodded slowly, her stare flicking between Jason and Dick.

"That's your kid brother, right? The one we were supposed to-"

"Shut up, Grayson." Jason's lips twitched and he shoved his hands in his pockets, walking away with as much dignity as he could muster. "I'd rather not have you dirty up my good name with the memory of that incident. If you don't mind."

Dick growled and narrowed his eyes. "Why don't you go back to that pit you call-"

"Dick!" Raven growled and glared at him, her cheeks red as she pushed closer to him. Her feathers ruffled and she glared up "Watch your mouth and behave yourself."

Dick just shook his head and snorted. "Don't bother with him, Raven. He's just a greaser with sticky fingers, and he isn't worthy of your attention."

Jason's shoulders stiffened, but he knew better than to qualify that statement with a response or an explanation. He didn't need to justify himself to Dick Grayson, nor did he want to - that boy had never known a single day of hardship in his life, and it was unlikely he really understood what it meant to actually survive. Jason had lived long enough to realize that much at least.

Cracking his neck and offering the best smile he could, Jason waved good-bye and walked away. Raven's expression looked pitying, and that made him sick. He didn't need her pity. Hell, he didn't even need her. But there she was looking at him like some kind of broken down invalid, and that hurt more than any kind of slur either of them could say. Biting back a curse-filled outburst, he walked back to his car and ignored the low, angry voice of Dick.

" _Don't bother with scum like that, Raven. He doesn't care about you."_

Jason slammed the car door and stared ahead, his lips twitching. He should have known better than to be interested in a girl who spoke _French_.


	5. There is a Lady Sweet and Kind

Chapter Five: There is a Lady Sweet and Kind

-o-

 _October 5, 1956_

He licked his cut and swollen lip, slightly tasting the copper flavor of his dried up blood. His cheek stung, cut and bruised the whole world to see. While he was paid to take the beating, he still felt the embarrassment and shame of losing. And he never liked to lose. But there was more money to be had in throwing it, and he was desperate this month.

He rolled his tongue in his mouth and kept his head down as he walked along campus with his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket meant to shield him from the chill of fall. Red and yellow leaves skidded across the pavement as he walked, and he would just pick up his head he would see the beautiful colors that still hung above him in the trees but he wouldn't. His shame and guilt kept his head low, weighing down on his shoulders as if his name was Atlas.

He sighed lowly before he heard a feminine voice call his name, and he made the fatal mistake of looking up to see the electric blue eyes that haunted his dreams. He frowned and turned away, his strides growing longer and faster. He scowled when he heard her call his name again, her little steps growing louder as she neared him.

He didn't want her to see him like this. He didn't want her looks of pity.

"Hey!" She called out, coming up to his side. "I'm talking to you."

"You shouldn't bother yourself with _scum_ like me," he echoed Dick's words from their last encounter. As much as he wanted to ignore it and pretend he hadn't heard it, he did and it hurt more than any physical blow. "Remember?"

"I didn't say that," Raven frowned, practically running to keep up with him. "And I will _bother_ , as you so eloquently put it, with whoever I want."

"Maybe you should give the notice to that wet rag you call a friend," his fingers itched down into his back pocket of his jeans and pulled out his box of Lucky's and opening it, forgetting that he decided to quit earlier in the month.

"I did," she breathed, a little winded from the brisk pace. "Now could you please stop walking so fast?"

"Nope," he answered flatly, pulling a cigarette out with his teeth and reaching for his lighter.

He heard her huff. "I'm trying to apologize for the other day here."

"Well, you can stop trying, dolly," he lit his cigarette and inhaled, letting the nicotine buzz his senses. "I don't need your _fucking_ pity."

Her steps stopped for a moment as he walked on towards his car. Taking the cigarette out of his mouth, he exhaled the smoke in his lungs, both relieved and disappointed that he finally was rid of her. He shook his head, popping the white stick between his teeth again. He didn't fucking need her sorrow-filled eyes and her-

He stopped mid thought when he felt a small hand grab his arm, yanking him to his car and pushing him against it before turning him around. His cigarette was snatched from his mouth and promptly thrown away to some forgotten place, and a hard, pointed finger met his gaze that lead to a very angry Little Bird.

"First off, I am not your 'dolly!' For the last time, my name is Raven! Don't you ever call me 'dolly' again," she seethed, getting in his face with her breathing growing shallow and heavy. "Second off, you don't get to dismiss me. You don't get to talk to me like I'm some dumb _floozy_ who doesn't know when I'm be talked down to. So don't you ever talk to me like that again. _Ever_!"

He rolled his shoulder, flicking his eyes away from her for a moment as she berated him and scowled at any passersby who looked at them oddly. He deserved this, he knew. In the brief encounters they've shared, he knew that she wasn't some dumb Betty to be bossed around and disregarded. She was smart and she walked with an air that demanded respect, and it was his unfortunate mistake for treating her otherwise.

Guilt gripped his spine, hearing his mother's voice in his head about how he should treat women. She had taught him better than that. Than to dismiss someone, especially a woman, so offhandedly. She would've smacked his mouth and told him to apologize to the girl had she heard him.

He inhaled, managing up the courage to look at her again, and what he saw sent a chill down his spine. Her wide electric eyes sparked with wild and sheer anger and her teeth were gritted while her face grew red. She was definitely the big, scary hawk with the body of a short, little wren, and while it was terrifying, it was still quite adorable.

He felt his lips tug upwards, in spite of the situation, as he looked at her. A strange flutter filled his chest and spread out to his limbs, warming him as it tingled under his skin. And he _knew_. He hadn't even kissed her yet and he knew.

He licked his lips as he thumbed the simple silver band on his pinky, subconsciously as she continued on, oblivious to his discovery. This wasn't electricity or fire that he felt. This was something else, something much deeper than desire or lust or anything frivolous like that. No… This was something much more serious, and he _knew_.

He knew that this was _it._

"And I didn't come over here out of pity. I don't have time to feel sorry for anyone. What I came here for was to apologize for how rudely we were interrupted the other day, and to tell you that I ripped my friend a new one for his behavior towards you," she breathed, pushing a stray hair back behind her ear.

He watched her pull back into herself, reeling in her temper and gaining her normal composure. Her eyes fluttered closed and she licked her lips as she tried to bite back the fighting words that were still sitting on her tongue. Cute.

She inhaled. "I came over here…" she started again, her voice back to its low and even tone. "Because I'm concerned."

Pause. "Why are you concerned?" He shifted his weight a little, feeling that flutter again.

"You got yourself a bit of a shiner there," She pointed weakly as his face. "And a busted up lip. And I see the bruises and the cuts on your knuckles all the time. So…"

Oh. His cheek stung again as if to reiterate her point, and he had to look away again.

"I am… _Worried_ ," she said the word as if it was foreign to her.

His eyes flicked back to her form, the feeling in his chest blossoming wildly as she bit her bottom lip nervously from the confession. His brows raised to his hairline. "About me?"

"Yes," she bit, a pink hue coating her cheeks. "Don't look at me like I'm incapable of such a thing."

He resisted the laugh that built in his throat and grinned. "Never, _Uccellino_."

"Good," she nodded before another pause ghosted passed them as they looked at each other, locking on the others eyes. The air grew tight and staticky, and his fingers itched to push back the rogue hair that never managed to stay behind her ear when she tilted her head. "You're not going to tell me what happened, are you?"

For a brief moment, he thought of telling her all his secrets. His past, his present, what he had to do just to make it by… But he couldn't. His pride wouldn't let him.

He sighed, sadly and looked down at the ground with a shake of his head. Another pause.

"Not yet."

His eyes lifted back up to hers, determination dancing in her eyes. It wasn't an option. It was an inevitability.

His lips curled on one edge as he picked up his head. He nodded his head. "Not yet."

A smile slowly spread across her face, looking down and nibbling at her lip when it got too wide. His hand twitched to touch her, to flutter underneath her chin and pick her head up so he could watch that smile lit up her gorgeous eyes. But he kept it to himself, reaching for his pack of cigarettes and lighter.

He wouldn't touch her. Not yet.

"I'm sorry," he said, popping a stick in his mouth and lighting it. He exhaled. "For how I spoke to you earlier. I shouldn't have done that."

Raven pressed her lips and edged away from him as if repelled by something disgusting. He furrowed his brows as she nodded her head. "No, you shouldn't have, but you're forgiven. You look like a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders, and I probably didn't make things much better."

"That's still no excuse for my behavior," he countered. "Everything that's going on with me had nothing to do with you and I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

"True, but I already gave you a piece of my mind for doing so," she smirked, tilting her head to the side. "So you're forgiven."

His lips pressed into a smile again before taking another drag of his cigarette. He furrowed his brows again when Raven averted her eyes from and subtly covered her nose.

He exhaled. "You don't like cigarettes, _Uccellino_?"

"Not particularly, no," she coughed.

"Really?" He arched a brow.

She rolled her eyes and shifted her weight to one leg, her full hips sticking out sassily. "Just because I'm considered a 'beatnik' or whatever they like to call me, doesn't mean I practice in all of its stereotypes. I find cigarettes disgusting and I'm pretty sure one day they will discover that they're bad for you."

His lips twitched into a smile and nodded his head. "Well then…" He took a long drag of his cigarette, enjoying the buzz for one last time before pulling from between his lips and throwing it on the ground. He brought the tip of his toe down on it and crushed it with a few turns of his ankle. "That was my last cigarette, then."

She blinked in surprise. "Really?"

"Really," he smirked.

She looked at him skeptically and clicked her tongue. "And how many times have you said that before?"

"Too many times, I'll admit," he chuckled, scratching at his forehead with his thumb. "But I mean it this time."

"And why is that?"

"Because you don't like it," he answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "And I never had a good enough reason to quit until now."

Her eyes lit up at his words, inhaling through her nose and pressing her lips together to hide the flattered smile that threatened to break her face. She folded her lips and held her hand out to him, making a "give me" gesture with her fingers.

He smiled brightly as he reached in his pocket handed his pack of Lucky's to her open palm, static clicking between their palms. She nodded her head at him in approval but her hand remained outstretched.

"I wasn't born last night," she smirked, eyes sparkling with determination.

He laughed and nodded his head, opening the car door. He climbed inside and reached into the glove compartment and side door panels, grabbing all the hidden boxes of cigarettes from inside his car.

"That's all I got," he sighed, standing back up and handing the three boxes to her.

Closing her hands around them, she gave him a challenging look, silently daring him to try to take the boxes back as she walked over to the nearby waste bin. She held his eyes as she dropped them in, watching him with careful eyes to see what he would do.

He simply smiled. He knew he was already looking at his new vice and he knew she would be a better high than any cigarette would ever be.

He licked his lips as his eyes dropped to the full swell of her hips as the swayed back to him. He distantly wondered what it would feel like to palm those hips and squeeze the plump roundness of her backside as he sucked on her bottom lip, swallowing her gasps-

"… To tell Tim to throw away any cigarettes that you probably got tucked away at home," her voice interrupted his thoughts as she stopped in front of him again, placing her hand on her hip.

He coughed the thoughts away, scratching at his forehead again and pushing a thick stray curl of hair back into place. "Every cigarette I own will be tossed by the end of the day."

"Promise?" She arched a delicate brow at him.

A slow grin broke his face, stepping closer to her and smelling that vanilla shampoo that made his mouth water. His fingers reached up to her cheek and caressed it, finally touching the soft skin and letting the electricity flow down through his arm to the rest of him.

"I promise, _Uccellino_ …"

Heat flashed in her eyes and a blush covered her cheek at the gesture but she never backed away or denied the affection. Her lips parted, and his stare dropped to her full lips, wanting to taste the secrets behind them. The air tightened around them and static crackled around them again.

If he believed in things like fate and destiny, he would have believed that they were destined to touch, that their skin was meant to met again and again throughout the span of time and space. If he believed in such things… But damn was he close to.

"Good…" She swallowed, and he could've sworn that she leaned into his hand when he slowly pulled his hand back, flexing it slightly like it burned.

He already missed the feel of her skin.

Clearing his throat to ease some of the tension, he flicked his eyes to her messenger bag on her hip and nodded. "What are we reading today?"

"Oh um…" she stammered, opening her bag to reveal the books inside. "Shakespeare today. I could read his sonnets for hours."

He hummed. " _Mine eye hath played the painter and hath steeled/Thy beauty's form in table of my heart. My body is the frame wherein 'tis held, And perspective it is best painter's art. For through the painter must you see his skill/To find where your true image pictured lies, Which in my bosom's shop is hanging still, That hath his windows glazed with thine eyes._ "

Her surprised and sheer fascinated look roused a chuckle from his chest. The way she looked at him like he was something to marvel and wonder at, it warmed him from the inside out and made his heart jump.

"So you like Shakespeare?" She finally said, still marveling at him.

He gave a one shouldered shrug. "Eh… He's good. Not my favorite though."

She rolled her eyes at him, playfully. "Then, who is?"

He hummed again as if he had to think about it. "Not yet."

"Not yet?" She repeated, confusedly.

"I'll clue you in one day," he reiterated with a private smirk. "Just not yet, _Uccellino_."

She nibbled on her lower lip again, her slight annoyance showing as she looked over his shoulder. "So that's two things you can't tell me yet… Could you at least tell me what… _Uccel…lino_?"

"Yes."

"What does that mean?"

He pretended to think about it for a second, rolling his tongue and slicing the space between them again. "It means-"

"Sorry, I'm late!" They picked their heads up to the voice, seeing Tim rushing over to them.

Jason stepped away from Raven, flicking his eyes up to the clocktower. They were going to be late. He growled. " _Gesù Cristo, Tim, perché non si può mai essere in tempo?"_

"I got caught up," he shrugged, looking over his shoulder to Raven and smirked. "Besides you had company. Nice to see you again, Raven."

Raven gave a meek wave, and Jason rolled his eyes and gestured to the car. " _Basta salire in macchina_."

Tim chuckled a little before he climbed inside the car and slammed the door. Jason sighed, the feeling of dismay filling his chest as he turned to face Raven again. "I gotta-

"Go," she finished with a nod. Her eyes were downcast and a look of disappointment etched on her features. "Of course, you do…"

His lips twitched up, feeling a little comfort in knowing that she didn't want their interaction to end either. "Unfortunately, yes."

"Guess I'll see you around, then," she sighed, taking a few reluctant steps away from him.

He clicked his tongue as he opened his car door, watching her slow steps with his gaze lingering shamelessly on her backside. He tapped his finger on the door as he thought. "Little Bird."

Stopping, she turned around to face him. "What?"

" _Uccellino_ ," he called out, getting inside his car. "It means, Little Bird."

The little smile that spread across her face as he pulled away made his heart skip.


	6. Phrases

Chapter Six: Phrases

-o-

 _October 12th 1956_

"Look at you, you're a _mess_."

Jason ignored Tim's concerned stare as he wrapped a bandage around his knuckles, the faint light from the streetlamps filling the small space of the car as he continued to patch himself up. His knuckles burned a bit, but he chose not to say anything, lest Tim start up on one of his rants again, telling Jason he needed to take care of himself. Jason grabbed the edge of the bandage with his teeth, and tied a neat knot with a grunt. He knew what he was doing was difficult and hard on him, but at least it paid the bills.

"I'm fine."

"No… you're not… jeez. You look like you got into a fight with a lawn mower."

Jason snorted. The image wasn't _that_ far off course.

Licking blood off his lips, Jason picked up his head and looked out the window, eyes failing to recognize any of the familiar landmarks. "We're not headed back to the apartment." He jerked around and saw a few shops and restaurants that were usually just out of his price range. "Where are we going?"

"Out." Tim's response was sharp and bity, as if he was trying to hold something back.

Jason raised an eyebrow, the movement causing him to wince a little. " _Out_? Where's _out_?"

"I have to borrow a book from Raven for one of my classes. She has it at the cafe she works at, and I told her I would pick it up tonight." Tim gave Jason a sideways glare before looking back at the road. "And now _you're_ a complete mess."

Jason leaned back in the seat and glared at his brother. "You didn't tell me-"

"No, Jason. I didn't." Tim sighed and shook his head. "I haven't been telling you _anytime_ I ditch you or try to get you two in the same room each other, because if I did, you'd run off like some kinda scared-"

"Don't say it," Jason growled, feeling anger bubble up into his throat.

"I _will_ say it. You run away like a scared _kid_." He rolled his eyes and turned down another street, taking them to a small, brick building with soft lights filling the window. "You're so damn afraid of falling for a girl that you'd rather run around with cheap floozies and drink even cheaper booze while you waste your time. She's a great girl, smart, funny, pretty… and she can keep you in check. I haven't seen a girl do that to you… _ever_ , actually."

Tim slammed the car in park and turned to look at his brother again. "So, you know what? We're gonna go in there, I'm gonna pick up that book, and _you're_ gonna put a nickle in jukebox and drink a damned cup of coffee while you try to make _real_ conversation with her." Without another word, he threw open the car door and started for the cafe, leaving Jason in the car as if he were a child.

Jason just sat there and glared at his reflection in the rearview mirror, feeling his heart sink down into his stomach. Tim was right, he _was_ a mess. His lip was split, his cheek was burning and one of his eyes was starting to darken. He didn't _want_ to throw this match, but he had to pay for the rent this month, and some of Tim's books completely drained them of any of the savings he might have had. Grunting out a curse, he stepped out of the car and followed Tim toward the cafe.

The door rang open with an off-tune little clink from a battered bell above his head. Jason stood in the doorway and stared at the painted brick walls as the scent of cigarette smoke and coffee filled his senses. There was a low, strange sort of hum of conversation as Elvis Presley's _I Want You, I Need You, I Love You_ played on the jukebox. It was so different from any place he had ever set foot in, and Jason was starting to feel like a fish out of water. Just _what_ kind of world did he walk into.

A few people looked up from their notebooks and cups of coffee, and gave him a strange sort of stare, as if they were judging him for even _thinking_ of stepping into the cafe. A thin, gangly boy mumbled something rude and looked away, and if Jason wasn't so culture-shocked he might have actually reached back and punched him. Luckily, he knew better. Shifting a little under their heavy gaze, he readjusted his jacket and licked his lips, tasting blood again. One of the people staring at him got up and moved closer.

" _You_ must be Jason."

He choked a little on his breath and stared down at the petite girl, dressed in blacks and pale pinks, twirling a finger around her dark hair. He racked his mind to try and remember how he might have known her, but his head was still a bit fuzzy from the fight, and he didn't really remember meeting someone so… _cute_. He sniffed a little. "How do you know me?"

She smirked, the flash of white teeth shining underneath her soft, umber skin. "Well, you know how these things go… word gets around."

She had a little bit of an English lilt to her voice and it was kind of endearing. Jason let out a soft breath and gave a short nod, his eyes flicking behind her to see the round hips he had often found himself daydreaming about. His lips twitched upward into a smile. Raven. He found himself drawn to the sway of her flesh, and he ran his tongue over the cut in his lip, absently responding to the strange woman in front of him. "Does it now?"

"Well… can't say I've ever seen her so… _happy_."

That brought his attention back down to her, his eyes narrowing in on an almost playful smirk. "Happy? Has she not-" He stopped himself, knowing that wasn't his place to pry. If she didn't want to talk about it to him, he shouldn't go prying to her friends.

"Mm…" The girl pitched forward just a little, poking him in the chest so that his attention snapped back down to her. "You're different than _him_ … something about you… I like it. Jen, by the way, but everyone calls me Jinx." She threw out her petite hand and grinned as Jason shook it slowly. "Nice to see you come by, Jason." There was a short pause and her stare darkened just a little. " _Don't_ screw this up."

He nodded, knowing better than to argue with small women. "Don't worry. She's safe with me."

His thoughts came to a halt and he felt all color leave his face. Why in the _world_ had he just said _that_? He was a complete idiot. They weren't even together, and now he was acting like they were? Just what in the hell had he gotten himself into? Panic sunk deep into his stare, but Jinx pretended not to notice.

"Safe with you?" She pursed her lips, her eyes brightening as if she knew a very dirty secret. "Well, we'll see about _that_ … now won't we." Jinx turned on her heel and gave a short, vague wave in the direction of the counter.

Jason's stare followed her wave to find Raven as she returned to a spot behind the counter, fidgeting with a coffee pot. She was pushing at her hair and cursing in French under her breath, and something about it was… _enticing_. He glanced around the cafe looking for his brother, but Tim was no where to be seen, and at the moment Jason didn't know if he could care. He just knew that Raven was here and he hadn't seen her in almost two weeks, and that was an _awful_ long time to go without his new vice.

He twitched a bit and leaned on the counter, tapping his fingers as she waited for her to notice him. Raven pushed at her hair again and finally looked up, those electric blue eyes meeting with his own. His heart picked up speed and he swallowed hard, his head going through about six different things to say to her - not all of them in English. Raven's gaze flicked from his lips to his eyes and back again, a quiet breath escaping. Her stare softened and there were shadows filling her eyes before clarity seemed to come back.

Jason opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off before he could utter a sound.

"Come with me."

He blinked, feeling a bit like a rug had been pulled out from underneath him. "W-what?"

"Come with me," Raven repeated. She walked around the counter and grabbed his wrist, careful to avoid his bruised and battered knuckles, and then pulled him down a tight and narrow hallway. He was helpless to follow her, watching the sway of her hips as she pulled him from the dining area into a small, closet that smelled of coffee and pastries. She flicked on a bare bulb and began crawling up the shelves, shuffling through the shelves for something near the top.

Jason reeled back a little shamelessly eyeing the fact that her hips and behind were at eye-level with him. He blinked a few times, feeling the pain from his injuries suddenly slide away as his blood stirred in his veins. His hands twitched a little and he found himself crossing them over his chest, or he was almost _certainly_ going to grab handfuls of her gorgeous body and yank her into his arms, and it was very likely he wouldn't let go.

"Sit down." She looked over her shoulder at him as she groped along the top shelf.

He looked around and found an old, battered step stool.

She sighed and wrapped her hand around a tin. "Look at you… you're a _mess_."

Jason blushed and looked down at his injuries, feeling something akin to shame bubbling up into his chest. He'd never been ashamed about what he did to make money before, but being around her made him feel… less than adequate. It made him feel like he should have been doing something different - cleaner. It was almost as if he was too dirty to touch her. He rubbed the knuckles he bandaged and shrugged. "Yeah, that's not the first time I've heard that tonight."

"Well, _good_." She crawled down from the shelves with a small first-aid kit. Snapping open the tin she pulled out a few bandages and some rubbing alcohol, and set it to the side, her eyes roaming his face. "I cannot believe that you let yourself get in this kind of state, Jason. Just _look_ at you. You're-"

"A mess. Yeah, I know. You already said that." He fought against the urge to glare up at her, and then he saw her expression soften even more, her fingertips trailing over his cheek and rubbing against his lips with little tender touches. He winced, but managed to not pull back, instead looked into her eyes with that soft, needy expression. She smelled of tea, not coffee, and strawberries, and Jason found himself unable to do anything than look into her eyes. He felt like the entire world was spinning around him, and he wanted nothing more than to stay here in this quiet, small supply closet.

A few minutes passed in silence before Raven knelt down in front of him, picking up the supplies she had pulled out and effectively breaking the spell between them. She tucked her short hair behind her ears before looking up into his eyes. "This is gonna sting a little, okay?"

He twitched a little as she ran the alcohol-soaked cotton over his busted lip and cheek, but he was used the pain by now. How many nights had he spent trying to heal himself after a bad fight? He'd lost count actually, but having her so close and feeling the way she tried to protect him and keep him safe, it made everything sharpen to a point. This moment was meant to be something special, but he didn't know why. He just knew that he needed to hold onto this particular moment, with her kneeling in front of him, her soft, delicate hands smoothing over her injuries and trying to heal him. It was precious to him.

"There."

Jason jerked a bit, pulling himself from his thoughts. He forced a small smile, hoping she couldn't hear the frantic pounding of his heart. "Thanks."

She pursed her lips a little, looking as if she was trying to keep herself from scolding him. Instead, she turned her attention back to picking up the supplies. "You should take better care of yourself… you know."

He flicked his eyes towards her face, shielded by a curtain of hair. He licked his lips and smiled, feeling his hands start to itch again. "I'm a slow learner."

She smirked. "I've noticed."

He cocked his head to the side as he watched her climb the shelves again, and rose up onto his feet. Rubbing his thumb along his jaw, he continued to watch her form wiggle up the shelves, tucking the box back in its rightful place. Heat stirred within him again, and he forced himself to make conversation with her, or they might _never_ leave this little supply closet.

"Did Tim get the book from you?"

She looked over her shoulder. "What book?"

Jason faltered, his eyes meeting her face as she came back down. "The book for your class. He said you had it and he was coming to… _idiota._ "

"I don't even need to speak Italian to know what you're saying." Raven blushed and turned back to climbing down the shelves, her foot slipping just a little on the second to last shelf. It didn't seem to bother her though. She sighed and shook her head. "Well, Jason, I believe we've been _had_ … yet again."

He laughed and helped her down, his hands tightening over the curve of her waist. Her flesh felt surprisingly soft under his touch, like silk and warmth and cotton. She was everything soft in the world, free from sin and pain and fear. She was everything he had ever wanted in his life, and even though he knew he couldn't ( _shouldn't_ ) have her… he _wanted her_. He wanted her like air, or water, or any other necessity in life. He just wanted to know what it was like to kiss her. To run his fingers through her hair. To hold her in his arms. To know every inch of her body like it was a well-loved poem he'd read a hundred times over.

 _He wanted to know all of it…_

His grip tightened a little on her waist and he felt himself pitch forward, taking another breath of her scent. Her eyes fluttered closed and he nudged her nose with his own, lips barely brushing against her own. Her lips felt smooth and soft against the scars of his mouth, and her breath curled over his skin like a whisper. All it would take was one little nudge from either of them.

… _but not yet. He hadn't earned her yet._

Jason pulled back and gave her a knowing smile. "Well… I'll make sure to give him a few good hits when I get home." Nodding politely, he reached for the door behind him, opening it to the long hallway. "Thank you again, Raven."

She stood there, blinking at him, and let go of a soft, strangled sigh, and that sound nearly broke him. It meant she had wanted to kiss him as much as he wanted to kiss her. But not yet…

 _Soon_. _But not yet._


End file.
